I've had a run, for the last several years, of fabulous luck with Hotwire and Priceline. Magnificent rates at impressive hotels! Recently, though, I was booked into the NY Hilton. The reviews everywhere are horrendous. Everything from tiny, shabby rooms for Hotwire/Priceline bookers, to mobbed reception desk, "stiff" and inefficient service, poor climate control, no hot water, you name it. Has anyone ever had a positive experence? Does a "Hilton Honors" card help? what to do?

I don't know where those horror stories that you report on came from, but the Hilton New York is not as you've described. It's a convention/business hotel that is more than satisfactory.

I stayed at the N.Y. Hilton. It was fine. It's in a pretty good location. Not far from Broadway and close to 5th Avenue. I suggest you ask for a corner room as the corner rooms are much larger than the other rooms.

We stayed there last August. Our first room, booked as a non-smoking, had obviously been smoked in. The staff initially tried to "ionize" the smell away, but eventually (a few hours after checking in) moved us to another room. The second room was very nice. If your room is not satisfactory, let them know--discount or not, you're still paying for the room. The hotel's location is great; Central Park and other attractions are very close. I would recommend asking for a room on a higher floor as it will be away from the street noise.

I stayed there earlier this month. I used the hilton honors card & was put on a honors floor although I don't know if it was any different than any other floor. The hotel was nice, not a 4* in my opinion, but clean, cheap furnishings but satisfactory and not in bad shape, smallish but not tiny rooms. Climate control was fine, there were controls in the room & halls were fine. Hot water and shower pressure was good. The front desk did get very crowded at times, the honors card helped out a little here because there is a separate line. Suggest if you have billing issues go down early in the morning - I went around 7am and no one was down there. The front desk quickly resolved the billing issue of a mini-bar charge.

Hi Lillie - so what rate did you get? and for when? Thinking of staying there myself in Aug. Thanks!

Jake, if you checkout www.biddingfortravel.com, there is a lot of helpful information on bidding prices & strategies. I paid $90 per night, but some have gotten less.

I stayed at the NY Hilton and was very pleased. This was in mid- May and I booked through hotwire.com...no problems at all. I think I paid $58. per night. The room was just a standard room, no upgrade, no view etc. and it was on the smallish side but very clean... but for the price I was pleased. Check hotwire.com, this is what I did. Good luck.
P.S. Unfortunately, no guarantee what hotel you'll get but I've used hotwire.com several times and never been disappointed!